Improving cancer care experience with a single point of contact

Single point of contact (SPoC) provides patients with a single point of contact during their cancer care. SPoC supports an improved experience as patients navigate through care pathways. It also releases clinical time to focus on complex care.

SPoC aims to improve patient experience by enabling patients to:  

• have a single point of contact for patients to discuss questions or anxieties related to their care
• receive timely and accurate advice on their appointments, tests and results 
• have the chance to discuss what non-clinical support may be available for them and their family, following a cancer diagnosis 
• understanding their treatment plan and expected timelines for treatment delivery 
• be supported and reassured when there was a suspicion of cancer but did not receive a cancer diagnosis 
• after discharge, be provided with advice on self-management and available services

In 2022, Scottish Government awarded funding to 12 sites to support tests of change in relation to SPoC in cancer pathways.

Scottish Government requested a scalability assessment to identify best practice and determine if the intervention should be scaled across Scotland. The scalability assessment provides the conclusions to this work and is supported by resources developed through working with current SPoC services.